Annacostia Watershed Citzen's Summit

Tomorrow is the First Annual Anacostia Watershed Citizen's Summit.
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Place: University of Maryland Stamp Student Union
Join with members of citizen subwatershed groups across the Anacostia watershed for this opportunity to learn, network and collaborate! Registration is required. Our keynote speaker will be the Honorable Tom Dernoga, Prince Georges Co.'s council member. Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance has been invited to be on the panel on organizational issues. We will discuss the our subwatershed's top priorities, issues of concern and needs. More importantly, the panels will talk about what works and what doesn't work. Joseph Glover will lead the Pope Branch Park discussion with Trinh Doan, Irv Sheffey and Albertta Paul.

The Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance would like to (1) work to ensure "Pope Branch Park Sewer & Stream Restoration Project" is accomplished within a reasonable time frame, (2) outreach in building membership and educating the public, (3) trash & erosion control & removal of trash and invasive non-native plants, (4) incorporate and become a 501(c)3 to more efficiently supply the park's needs.

Our restoration priorities include: (1) public education and outreach, (2) water quality monitoring, and (3) use native plants to help stabilize stream bank. Pope Branch's greatest successes to date comprise of (1) more than 39 years of care and advocating for Pope Branch Park & related areas, (2) advocated for a community & mulit-agency Alliance to fund & develop the "Pope Branch Sewer and Stream Restoration Project" with the DDOE, DDPR & DCWASA, (3) 2007 MLK, Jr. National Day of Service event in west Pope Branch Park with more than 120 volunteers representing more than a dozen organizations and groups that cleaned and removed invasive non-native plants. The preliminary restoration recommendations along our subwatershed is to see the Project to its successful completion, to remove and/or control invasive (non-native) plants, and to work with community and government to accomplish the needs of the park.

Pope Branch Park's main source of organizational needs include (1) outreach, (2) a maintenance plan that consists of community folks, federal and local government representatives working cooperatively as partners, and (30 a plan to control mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus.

Come join us in our discussion of the Anacostia Watershed restoration efforts. Groups that are invited to the summit are: Friends of Sligo Creek, Neighbors fo the Northwest Branch, Eyes of Paint Branch, Citizens to Conserve and Restore Indian Creek, Beaverdam Creek Watershed Watch Group, Friends of Still Creek, Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek, and Watts Branch Community Alliance. We will have continental breakfast and provide lunch. Everyone is welcomed so long there is room at the Stamp Student Union conference room.